


warm under the light

by boyfrendery



Category: NCT (Band), WAYV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Early Mornings, Forbidden Love, Light Angst, M/M, Prince Wong Yuk Hei | Lucas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 10:28:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25349221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boyfrendery/pseuds/boyfrendery
Summary: “The king will be very unhappy if you show up to your coronation wearing these clothes.”“So?” A kiss on the nose this time, then a smile, cheek-to-cheek. “I think I look great like this, bedhead and all.”or: renjun meets with lucas on the morning of the prince's coronation
Relationships: Huang Ren Jun/Wong Yuk Hei | Lucas
Comments: 20
Kudos: 76





	warm under the light

**Author's Note:**

> title from [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kP8ZdkJ88g) song, lyrics from [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7_bxz6T9j8%22) song.
> 
> [ moodboard](https://twitter.com/boyfrendery/status/1284338525975052288)

Renjun finds him in the outdoor study.

There’s greenery everywhere: vines sprouting up and above his head, tall grasses in fields stretching beyond the study’s walls, potted plants scattered inside. Lush, hung from the ceilings or placed around the perimeter, vibrant green all around him.

It’s quite early in the morning so the sun sits low on the horizon, gradually rising to streak through the east wall. Minutes pass quickly as Renjun stands at the entry, watching his prince stare out toward the coast.

Lucas looks outward from the edge of the glass-covered room, still in his house clothes: thin linen pants, low shirt, tailored jacket, his all-whites stark against his skin. Sun-kissed, the people say of the prince. Always like the sun: bright, warm, new light for their future.

With each passing second more sunlight fills the room in ripples of gold, shimmering off of the flora’s morning dew. Like this, under the glory of the sunrise, Lucas is magnificent: he _is_ the sun, illuminating the world.

“I know you’re there.” Lucas has both hands tucked into his pants pockets. He doesn’t turn, still fixed on watching the sun glistening on the ocean’s waves, lapping against the shore. Renjun knows there’s no malice to his voice nor threat to be found: only an acknowledgment out of habit, a welcome for entry inside. Even years of familiarity can’t shed the differences in their status or every convention that sets them apart.

Renjun walks into the study, crossing through the tiled floors. There have always been too many tables and chairs in this building than ever needed. He bumps his knee on one of the chairs along the way and Lucas turns toward him, smiling.

 _Sunshine_ , Renjun thinks.

“Be careful, sweetheart,” Lucas says, extending his hand.

Renjun takes it, warm palm in his. All the blood in his body rushes to his cheeks, his ears, coursing through his heart. They don’t get to have many moments like this.

He follows Lucas to stand in the same spot, bodies close to the glass. It’s nice here. No one is looking for them yet — for _him_ yet, the prince — and the coronation ceremony isn’t set to start until the afternoon. Here, with only the company of the chirping scarlet honeycreepers and the slowly rising sun, they can be themselves. Here they are not prince nor clothier, just _them_ : Lucas’ arms wrapped around Renjun, lips pressing a kiss into his hair.

“How long can we stay like this?” Renjun asks, shutting his eyes. Only in the mornings can he comfortably bask in the warmth of the sun.

“Maybe another hour.” Lucas kisses his head again. “But I don’t wanna get dressed yet. I like it right here.”

“The king will be very unhappy if you show up to your coronation wearing these clothes.”

“So?” A kiss on the nose this time, then a smile, cheek-to-cheek. “I think I look great like this, bedhead and all.”

Renjun swivels in Lucas’ arms, back toward the glass wall. He feels the lapel of Lucas’ jacket. Soft under his fingertips, handwoven fabrics from the southern isles. The white-on-white embroidered stitching, curling flowers threaded across Lucas’ shoulders. Jasmine.

“I know you look great. I _made_ this.” He keeps his eyes fixed on his fingers, pressing down the lapel until it’s crisp against Lucas’ chest. Renjun straightens the last edge and looks up. “But I know you’ll look even better in what I made for you today.”

Lucas hasn’t tried it on yet. The queen insisted he wait until the day of to wear it for the first time, claiming it to be tradition within their family. Renjun’s father crafted the king’s cloak perfectly for his coronation all those years ago — under his guidance, the queen was certain Renjun could do the same.

The ceremonial cloak, red honeycreeper threaded through yellow-tufted songbird. Thousands and thousands of feathers collected and sewn together, birds trapped and plucked for their plumage, only released to be trapped again the year after. Renjun has been preparing this cloak for years, his longest and most proud work to date.

Lucas moves Renjun’s hands from his jacket and takes them in his. “Let’s not think about today.”

He finds purchase along the small of Renjun’s back, gently guiding him close, closer, left palm kept there, right stretched out, holding Renjun’s hand. He shuffles backwards on his feet, taking them in one-two time around the study, pacing across the tiled floor and between the furniture. Dancing under the morning sun, wordless, Renjun humming the song that plays in his head whenever they’re together.

It ends with them chest to chest in the center of the room, Renjun’s head leaning on Lucas, singing into his shoulder. Rocking side to side, no music but their heartbeats and Renjun’s voice, bare.

 _“With every sunrise, I love you._  
_Until the sun sets, I love you._  
_And every moment thereafter until the morning dew,_

“I love you,” he murmurs into Lucas’ shoulder. Kisses the flower there before propping his chin along Lucas’ collarbone.

Lucas sways still, gently, kissing Renjun’s forehead when he whispers, “I love you.”

“Maybe we can stay here. Ditch the ceremony.”

“And what about the kingdom? We can’t stay here forever. They’ll come looking for us.”

“I think we could hide here long enough for them to stop looking for us. Like when we were kids playing hide-and-seek while your mom worked on her crafts.”

“But we’d have to leave the palace grounds eventually.” Lucas tightens his hold around Renjun’s waist. “Where would we go?”

“I don’t know,” Renjun admits. “Anywhere but here. The gods seem to like you. Maybe they’ll keep us both safe if we live near the bottom of the volcano.”

“Just because I’m a prince doesn’t mean they like me any more than they like you. The monarchy doesn’t matter to them.”

“The monarchy doesn’t matter to _me_ , either.” Renjun’s voice comes out more harsh than he intended. Lucas winces at the comment. “Sorry, I didn’t— you know what I meant.”

Lucas drops another kiss on Renjun’s head. “Yeah, I know.”

But there’s honesty in what Renjun said: the monarchy doesn’t matter to him. Doesn’t matter that he has a prestigious position within the palace, trusted by the royal family, walks the same corridors as the king and queen and the king-to-be. It doesn’t matter to him if everyone on the royal estate _knows_ , sees there’s more between the prince and his best friend, but makes them hide like this anyway: them only within the glass walls of the study, away from the palace, complete transparency under the guise of shelter.

“Sorry,” Renjun says again, feels how half-hearted it sounds this time.

Lucas waits a few moments before speaking again. “I’m sorry, too.”

“For what?”

“That it has to be like this.” Lucas stops swaying. “Sometimes I wish I wasn’t a prince.”

“If it helps,” Renjun cups the side of Lucas’ neck. Leans up to place a kiss on his cheek. “I think you’ll be a great king.”

“Thanks.” Lucas glances up at the ceiling, entertaining a thought, before looking into Renjun’s eyes. “Though I think I’d rather be yours.”

Up close, Renjun sees why they call him the sun prince. Lucas smiles down at him, all his teeth on display as he grins at his cheesy line, and Renjun can’t help but feel pure radiance, surrounded by light, holding the sun beneath his fingers. Lucas is illuminating, every room a little brighter when he enters. He does more than make Renjun feel safe and warm: he has that effect on _everyone_ on the island, their trust held in his hands to lead them into a better future for their kingdom.

He’s gonna be an amazing king.

Renjun smiles back, fingers trailing up to hold both sides Lucas’ face. Looks at him once before pulling him down into a smile, then a kiss.

His eyes close just as their lips meet, soft, tender flesh on flesh. Sweet and slow like the start of the day, morning sun awakening with each second. A fire scorches in the pit of Renjun’s belly when Lucas holds him closer, tilts his head to kiss him back, lightly running his tongue over Renjun’s bottom lip before kissing into him again. Renjun shivers when Lucas slips a hand under his top, holding his waist, every touch blazing beneath his skin.

Renjun drops his hands from Lucas’ face to his shirt, clutching tighter before breaking apart. Forcing a little distance between them because they can’t be together, not in the way they want, he can't look forward to more mornings like this when Lucas is king. It'll be harder for both of them after today's ceremony, and maybe they should stop now before the glass walls shatter around them.

Renjun kisses Lucas again on the lips, hands falling to down his sides. He unwraps Lucas’ arms from his body and takes both of his hands in his own.

“You should go back now.”

Lucas understands. He smooths the front of his shirt, leaning down to kiss Renjun one last time. “Okay. I’ll see you later.”

He leaves the study first, entering the palace, up the stairwell toward his room. Renjun waits ten minutes, twenty before approaching the doors, walking down the dark hallways to his workroom, already missing the warmth of the sun.

**Author's Note:**

> needed to let off some writing jitters before diving into a longer piece again. comment and kudos if you enjoyed ♡
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/boyfrendery) | [cc](https://curiouscat.me/boyfrendery)


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